ThouShaltNot have built strong fanbases through their national tours and their work with acts such as The Dresden Dolls, VNV Nation, Alphaville and David J (of Bauhaus). Their club hits "Cardinal Directions," "Without Faith," "Last Comfort," and "Inside of You, In Spite of You," have been played at nearly every dark alternative and goth venue in America, while their more organic "True Love" and "When Everyone Forgets" have appeared to acclaim on high profile compilations that exceed the limits of genre.
ThouShaltNot's music, throughout its thoughtful subject matter, is hook-laden and complex in its emotional and intellectual architecture. With their latest releases, Land Dispute and the New World EP, ThouShaltNot is poised to change the way you think and feel about music.
The band consists of: Alex Reed (vocals, keyboards, guitars, programming, samples), Aaron Fuleki (percussion, programming, samples, guitars, backing vocals) and Jeremy David (guitars, backing vocals, piano, keyboards, programming).
When I Crash
ThouShaltNot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over the border and to every corner and edge of the world
Every island and ocean boiling and blue in motion
I'm not easing the gas until we both can sleep, we might as well be
Running the engine with never a mention
That we're sitting still in the garage and nodding off (a mirage)
If it's the last thing that I'll ever do
I'll make you feel one second pass
Where I am stone and you are glass
And you are broken when I crash with you
You're not dropping me loose without a fight to hold on for my own life
Though it's a mile below, all the while
I'm digging my nails into gravity's ladder, ripping your mind and matter
You're not walking away until your heart is torn, our tears are reborn
Falling together like a ton of feathers
I'm pulling you down to the bottom where we'll be forgotten
I promise that there's no crashing until I see this through
If it's the last thing that I'll ever do
I'll make you feel one second pass
Where I am stone and you are glass
And you are broken when I crash with you
And we'll keep moving faster till you scream
Burning rubber into the end of the dream
The air is breaking around our heavenly speed
And what you fear the most is what I need
Falling together, going for forever and never ending
And spending our lives for moments that won't arrive
When you're feeling at last and reeling so fast
Because I'll finally touch what lies behind your walls, I'll make them fall
But there's no crashing until I see this through
If it's the last thing that I'll ever do
I'll make you feel my heart's affect
We're smashing now, a flaming wreck
And we are broken, we lie misconstrued
The end is spoken, long since overdue
And I am bone and you are glass
And the last is first and the first is last
All the searing smoke and the blinding flash
And the smell of hope, the taste of ash
And the gates will open when I crash with you
The gates will open when I crash with you
And you are broken when I crash with you
And you are broken when I crash with you
The overall tone of this song is intense and passionate, with lyrics that suggest the singer is willing to go to great lengths to achieve a specific goal. The first stanza sets the scene for a long and arduous journey, perhaps a metaphor for a relationship or life experience. The singer promises to keep driving until their companion cries, suggesting a need for emotional release or vulnerability. The second stanza is more physically violent, with imagery of falling, tearing, and ripping. The line "I'm digging my nails into gravity's ladder, ripping your mind and matter" is particularly striking, hinting at a struggle for control or power between the two parties.
The chorus offers a sense of purpose behind these violent and tumultuous images. The singer promises that they will not crash until they've achieved their goal, no matter what the cost. The line "And what you fear the most is what I need" is particularly pointed, suggesting that the singer is actively seeking out pain or struggle in order to reach their desired end. The final stanza brings the tension to a head, with the singer and their companion finally crashing and experiencing a moment of intense release. The final lines suggest a sense of finality or resolution to this journey, with the gates finally opening as a result of the crash.
Overall, the song is an intense and emotional exploration of a relationship or life journey, with a focus on the struggle and pain that comes with growth.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not stopping the car until I make you cry, I'll drive it all night
I won't quit until I've hurt you emotionally and physically, even if it takes me all night to do it
Over the border and to every corner and edge of the world
I'll take you anywhere to achieve my goal, no matter how far or dangerous
Every island and ocean boiling and blue in motion
The very elements of nature will be in turmoil as I pursue my destructive desires
I'm not easing the gas until we both can sleep, we might as well be
I won't let up until I've exhausted you and we're both too tired to keep fighting
Running the engine with never a mention
We'll keep going even though it's destroying us, with no acknowledgment of the damage
That we're sitting still in the garage and nodding off (a mirage)
We're deluding ourselves into thinking that we're making progress when we're actually stuck in one place
And there's no crashing until I see this through
I won't give up until I've achieved my destructive goal
If it's the last thing that I'll ever do
I'll continue even if it destroys me in the process
I'll make you feel one second pass
I'll make you suffer so intensely that even a second will feel like an eternity
Where I am stone and you are glass
I am unfeeling and unbreakable, while you are delicate and easily shattered
And you are broken when I crash with you
You will be irreparably damaged when I achieve my destructive goal
You're not dropping me loose without a fight to hold on for my own life
I won't let go of my own life even if it means fighting to stay alive
Though it's a mile below, all the while
Even if the danger is far beneath me, I'll still fight with all my might to survive
I'm digging my nails into gravity's ladder, ripping your mind and matter
I'm scratching and clawing my way to the top, even if it means damaging you in the process
You're not walking away until your heart is torn, our tears are reborn
I won't let you leave until you've suffered a great deal emotionally and we've shed many tears
Falling together like a ton of feathers
We're falling together in a deceptive but devastating way
I'm pulling you down to the bottom where we'll be forgotten
I'm dragging you with me to a place where we'll be irrelevant and unknown
I promise that there's no crashing until I see this through
I'll keep going until I've achieved my destructive goal, no matter what
And we'll keep moving faster till you scream
We'll continue accelerating until you're in so much pain you can't help but scream
Burning rubber into the end of the dream
We'll continue towards our goal until our dreams are completely destroyed
The air is breaking around our heavenly speed
The atmosphere can't withstand the devastation we're causing
And what you fear the most is what I need
I thrive on causing the things that scare you the most
Falling together, going for forever and never ending
We're being destroyed together, with no end in sight
And spending our lives for moments that won't arrive
We're wasting our lives pursuing something that will never come to fruition
When you're feeling at last and reeling so fast
You'll finally realize the truth and be completely overwhelmed
Because I'll finally touch what lies behind your walls, I'll make them fall
I'll destroy the barriers you've put up and gain access to the things you've tried to keep hidden
But there's no crashing until I see this through
I won't stop until I've caused as much destruction as possible
If it's the last thing that I'll ever do
Even if it destroys me in the process, I'll keep going until I've caused as much damage as possible
I'll make you feel my heart's affect
I'll cause you to experience the full force of my destructive heart
We're smashing now, a flaming wreck
We're being destroyed in a horrible way
And we are broken, we lie misconstrued
We're both completely shattered and misunderstood
The end is spoken, long since overdue
The end of our destructive journey has been planned for a long time and is finally here
And I am bone and you are glass
I am hard and unbreakable, while you are soft and easily destroyed
And the last is first and the first is last
Everything is out of order and distorted beyond recognition
All the searing smoke and the blinding flash
The destruction has been so intense that everything is shrouded in smoke and obscured by flashes of light
And the smell of hope, the taste of ash
Even amidst all this destruction, there's a lingering sense of hope mixed with the taste of destruction
And the gates will open when I crash with you
Our destructive collision will have far-reaching consequences that can't be ignored
The gates will open when I crash with you
Our destructive collision will have serious repercussions that will be felt for a long time
And you are broken when I crash with you
You will be irreparably damaged when I achieve my destructive goal
Contributed by Isaiah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.